NRF: U.S. container imports could hit record highs this summer

Major retail container ports in the United States can expect two of the busiest months ever for imports in July and August, according to the latest monthly Global Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.    Imports at major retail container ports across the United States are projected to reach record highs in July and August, according to the latest monthly Global Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.
   Ports covered by the Global Port Tracker handled 1.72 million TEUs in May, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available, up 7.3 percent from the previous month and 6.2 percent year-over-year.
   The report estimates these ports handled a total of 1.66 million TEUs in June, up 5.3 percent from June 2016.
   Container volume statistics for June are already beginning to emerge for ports across the nation, with the Port of Long Beach, the Port of Oakland, the Port of Virginia and the South Carolina Ports Authority all posting year-over-year increases in container volumes for the month.
   Looking further ahead, the Global Port Tracker report forecasts the following for each month across the ports it covers, in comparison to the same month in 2016:
     • July at 1.71 million TEUs, up 5.1 percent;
     • August at 1.75 million TEUs, up 2.2 percent;
     • September at 1.66 million TEUs, up 4.3 percent;
     • October at 1.71 million TEUs, up 2.2 percent;
     • And November at 1.6 million TEUs, down 2.7 percent.
   Global Port Tracker, which is produced by Hackett Associates for the NRF, covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Houston.